Left Behind
by HermioneLumos
Summary: When Zoe is caught out by her husband cheating on another man, how does it effect the rest of her family? Includes Zoe, Sam, Jess My O.C and Dylan
1. Chapter 1

"You know what Zoe?" Nick said. "I've had enough."  
"What?" Zoe whispered.  
"I've had enough." He said, walking upstairs.  
"Whatare you doing?" Zoe asked, tears falling down her face.  
"You will see soon enough." Nick said, slamming the door shut so she couldn't see. Jess was stood in the doorway to her bedroom, watching the drama unfold, with tears in her eyes.

Jess stood and watched her mother cry and stare at the bedroom door. She had heard the arguement. Zoe had been seeing another man behind Nicks back. Jess prayed that Nick didn't walk out of that bedroom with a suitcase or heavy looking bag. The amount of dislike Jess was feeling for her mother was unbelievable. Her dad hadn't done anything. He was caring, funny, smart, and Zoe goes and throws it all away.

To Jess's dismay, Nick walked out of the room carrying a big bag and she knew he was leaving. Nick walked over to her as he saw her stood there.  
"I have to go for a little while."  
"No dad. No you don't." Jess shook her head. "Put it down."  
"I can't." He said, walking down the stairs. Zoe sat silently crying before walking down after Jess who was crying hysterically.

"Dad!" Jess said, running up to him before he went out of the door. "Don't leave!"  
"I have to." Nick said to Jess, carrying his suitcase with his clothes. "Im sorry."  
"But Dad!" Jess cried. Her parents always argued but it had never gone this far. "Please."  
"Don't cry." Nick said softly to her while Zoe stood in the kitchen leaning over the sink, listening to their conversation.  
"Well don't leave then. Then I won't cry." Jess said, tears rolling freely down her face. Nick wiped them away.  
"I have to go." Nick said, standing up and Jess ran at him and wrapped her arms around him.  
"No!" Jess shouted and sobbed. "Please don't go!" Nick tried to hold back the tears.  
"I might be back. Who knows?" Nick said, eyes filling with tears.  
"Just please don't go." Jess whispered, and Nick looked over at Zoe with a pleading look.

Zoe walked over as Nick hovered in the doorway, stuck with his daughter around his waist.  
"Jess, let go." Zoe said, pulling at Jess's arms.  
"No." Jess said panicking. "No! Get off me!"  
"Jess, come on." Zoe said, untangling her fingers.  
"GET OFF ME!" Jess screamed as her mother pulled her arm off of her father. He walked down the path while Zoe was holding Jess back. "NO DAD DON'T GO!"  
"I'll see you some time." Nick said, walking to his car. He got into the front seat after putting his bag in the boot.  
"DAD!" Jess screamed as he drove out of sight. "Dad." She sobbed as her mother pulled her back far enough to shut the door. She slammed it and let go of Jess who sank down the wall crying her eyes out.  
"Jess, I-"  
"Leave me alone."  
"But-"  
"LEAVE ME ALONE." She shouted and Zoe stood up and walked into the kitchen. Jess ran upstairs and threw herself onto her bed, and sobbed her heart out. Her dad had left, and she had no idea if she would see him again. She was incredibly close to him, and at the moment she hated her mother for seeing another man behind his back.

She fell asleep crying, and her mother knew she didn't want to see her. She went to bed not long after, and also cried herself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Jess got up early, not wanting to see her mother. She got her stuff ready for school, ate breakfast, and just opened the front door to leave when her mother stood at the top of the stairs.  
"Jess where are you-" Jess had gone. She slammed the door and walked down the path to school. Zoe sighed as Jess left. She needed to talk to her, but now she wasn't going to get the chance.

Zoe walked into the kitchen, put the kettle on and sat at the dining room table. She slammed her fist down on the table and began to cry. Why did she have to cheat on Nick, he was a great husband, a great dad to Jess. She was a rubbish wife and a horrible mother. She sobbed as she thought about this, and before long the kettle boiled.

She made her coffee and then got off to work without dropping Jess off at school. She still had tear marks down her face when she walked into the staffroom.  
"Um, whats wrong?" Dylan asked, seeing her walk in. Zoe turned around to face him and walked up to him.  
"I told Nick about us. Thats what." Zoe said, and began crying.  
"Oh..." He said. "You didn't have to."  
"But he deserved to know!" Zoe said looking up at him. Dylan kissed her and took her into a hug. "And now Jess hates me."  
"Im sure she doesn't hate you..." Dylan said awkwardly.  
"Oh she does." Zoe nodded and raised her voice. "You should have seen her when Nick left."  
"He left?" Dylan asked.  
"Yes. Packed his bag and everything. Jess was screaming for him not to go, even clung on to him and I had to force her off." She sobbed and Dylan held her tighter."I was supposed to drop her off at school this morning but she got up early and left before I could do anything."  
"She will come around." Dylan said, rubbing Zoe's back to calm her down.  
"I doubt it." She shook her head through her tears. "You should have seen her." Dylan stayed silent and Zoe pulled away.

"I had better get working. Nick didn't come in did he?" Zoe asked and Dylan shook his head. "I knew it."  
"I don't know if he will come in or not." Dylan said. "I haven't heard anything else, just saw that he isn't here."  
"I'll try and find out." Zoe said, and Dylan gave her a tissue. She wiped her eyes, walked over to the mirror and tried to make herself a bit more presentable before walking out into the reception.

"Hey Zoe." Tess said as Zoe neared reception. "I didn't think i'd see you for a while."  
"Why?" She asked.  
"Well, Nick took a months holiday. I guessed you would have done the same. Is he okay?"  
"He took a months holiday?"  
"Yes... Didn't you know?"  
"Um, yes yes of course I did." Zoe scratched her head to think of an excuse. "He's... gone up to see his family in Wales."  
"For a whole month?" Tess asked and Zoe shrugged. "Is everything okay?"  
"Yeah, everythings fine." Zoe forced a smile but Tess didn't seem too convinced.  
"Well, need anything, let me know..." Tess put a hand on Zoe's shoulder before walking away. Zoe tried not to cry in the middle of reception so she went into the girls toilets.

About half an hour later, she came out with fresh makeup and red eyes, and she went into the staff room to get a drink of water. She got a glass and was in the middle of it when Dylan walked in to find her.  
"Hey. You feeling a bit better?" He said walking over and hugged her from behind. Zoe couldn't help but smile.  
"A little, now." Zoe said turning around so she was leaning against the worktop.  
"Do you know where Nick went?" Dylan asked, closing the gap between them.  
"I don't know where he has gone..." She said with her eyes watering again.  
"But.."  
"But he has taken his month's holiday now." She sobbed again and Dylan put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.  
"He's just taking a break." Dylan said. "Don't worry."  
"How can I not worry?" Zoe said as Dylan put his hands on her waist. She played with his shirt buttons as they came face to face. "He's just disappeared."  
"Do you have any idea where he has gone?" Dylan asked, and Zoe looked at him.  
"I think he's gone to visit family in Wales." Zoe sniffed as a tear fell down her face. "Either that or I don't have a clue."  
"Do you have a phone number, or...?"  
"I have his mobile and their house phone." Zoe said. "But he won't answer to me. I know it."  
"You can't know that Zoe." Dylan said, and kissed her.  
"I do." Zoe said. "They won't want anything to do with me." She sighed and put her hands on his chest and reached up to kiss him. She widened her eyes, as did he, when they heard the door open and heard a shriek.

Sam was stood in the doorway.  
"Oh, oh my God." She said, and put her hands on her head before turning and walking out.  
"Sam!" Zoe said, making her turn around. Dylan stepped back. "Sam wait!"  
"Why? To see you playing around with my husband?!" Sam said.  
"We aren't together any more Sam..." Dylan said.  
"But we are still married!" She pointed to the ring on her hand and her eyes started to water. "And I can't believe you Zoe. Cheating on Nick!? Is that why he's buggered off for a month?!"  
"Hey!" Zoe said, angry. "Who had an affair before then!? You did. While you were in bloody Afghanistan!"  
"That was a one off." Sam said. "I suppose since Nick found out about this tha this has been going on for a while, am I right!?" Zoe and Dylan looked at each other. "I knew it. I knew it." She turned and walked away. "And do you know what is worse?" She said.  
"What?" Zoe spat.  
"You have a daughter! Who is fifteen years old!" Sam shouted. "How is she going to feel about this!? Think for once Zoe. Just think."  
"I am thinking!" Zoe said.  
"Then you obviously didn't think about how this would effect your daughter, did you?!"  
"How would you know how it was effecting her?!"  
"Because my parents split when I was young." Sam said, calming her voice a bit. "I haven't seen my dad in years! Its not nice Zoe! Do you know how much I wish they never split!? Thats what got me started on drugs and drinking!" Zoe looked to think for a minute as a tear slipped down her face. "So now its my best friend and my husband dating?" She nodded and a tear slipped down her face too before she walked off.  
"Sam come back!"  
"Forget it!" She shouted, and left. Zoe looked at Dylan who was stood there, bright red.

"What am I going to do?" Zoe cried, and Dylan put a tentative arm around her, and cuddled her as she sobbed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Look." Dylan said. "Cross that bridge when it comes to it."  
"So, let my daughter get away from me and then try to drag her back?" Zoe asked. "No thank you."  
"I didn't mean it like that..." Dylan sighed.  
"Then what did you mean?" Zoe sniffed as he looked into her eyes.  
"You don't know that what Sam said will happen to Jess." Dylan said. "Any signs, then do something."  
"Okay." Zoe said. "I just need to get her to talk to me again."

Zoe went to the school at quarter past three to pick Jess up as she always did. She waited and waited and Jess just didn't appear. Zoe sighed and after half an hour of sitting and waiting, she drove back home to hope she was there.

Zoe stepped into the house and gasped. The place was a mess, as if someone had just been looking for something and thrown everything everywhere. She kicked off her shoes and walked in, shutting the door. She put her bag down, heart pounding in her chest. Something bad could have happened. Someone could have robbed the place. What if Jess was here? Did they hurt her, or did they take her?

She went up to Jess's room to see if she was there. She opened the door but Jess was no where in sight. All of her draws had been opened and a lot of her clothes had gone. She ran around the house, trying to see if she was there. She wasn't anywhere. It was unusual that she went around a friends house and not tell her.

So now she had two possibilities. Jess could have gone to a friends or she had been taken. The first was a more likely option. So she got onto the phone and called up some of her friends and they said they hadn't seen her since lunch time.

Lunch time? Since lunchtime. So Jess had left school at lunch and come home? Maybe it was her that had made all this mess.

Then it all sunk in. She was probably trying to go and find her father. She didn't know how she knew where she was going, so maybe Nick was in on this too.

Zoe really didn't want to do this, but she had to. She had to call Sam. Sam and Jess had a great relationship when they spoke in the ED, but Zoe didn't know if Sam would talk to her. She dialled the number and put the phone to her ear.

She bagan to cry once it went to the answer phone after just two rings. Sam had cut her off.  
"Sam." She sniffed. "I am sorry but this is important." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Jess has gone missing. I came home, found the house in a state, rang her friends and found out she ditched school at lunch." Zoe took a shakey breath. "So if you care about Jess as much as you implied earlier, please please please answer me!" She hung up and waited. Sure enough, a few minutes later her phone rang.  
"Zoe, are you sure Jess is gone?" Sam's worried voice came through the phone.  
"Yes!" Zoe said, going through her purse. "She took money, clothes.." Zoe cried down the phone.  
"I'll go and see if I can find her." Sam said. "Don't do anything yet, just wait to see if she comes back." Sam hung up without another word.

Zoe cried in frustration and slammed her fist down on the worktop while she tried not to panic. She texted Dylan.

'Sam was right.' the text said and she got a reply almost straight away.

"What about?"

"About Jess! She ran away." A tearful Zoe wrote.

"Im coming over." Dylan said and Zoe threw her phone down. Why did she have to be so stupid and love two people at once? She wished she had never had an affair, but she reallydid love Dylan.

The door bell made her jump a little while later. She rushed to the door and opened it, but it was Dylan.  
"Sorry." Zoe said, bursting into tears. "I thought it was Jess."  
"Im sorry." Dylan said, hugging her.  
"Don't be. It wasn't your fault." Zoe wiped her eyes before the phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered.  
"Hey Zoe?" It was Sam.  
"Yeah?"  
"She came to my house." Sam said and she heard Zoe sigh in relief.  
"Great." Zoe began.  
"But..."  
"But?" Zoe said.  
"She doesn't want to go home." Sam sighed.  
"Why?" Zoe asked in a whisper.  
"She wants to go to her father." Sam said sadly, knowing Zoe would hate it. But she couldn't blame Jess, as Sam knew how it felt. The same happened to her when she was younger. "Um, so i you want, I can keep her overnight as she has most of her stuff with her..."

Zoe stayed silent for a little while.  
"Okay." Zoe made her decision. "She can stay there if she wants to so badly."  
"She doesn't want to stay here, she want's to stay with her dad." Sam explained.  
"I know but I don't know where he is." Zoe said.  
"Well she seemed to have a pretty good idea of where she was going." Sam said. "As soon as I find out, i'll let you know."  
"Okay." Zoe said crying. Sam could hear this.  
"Look, i'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Sam said.  
"No don't worry. It was true. Everything you said."  
"Im sorry." Sam said, before hanging up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

"Im not going home." Jess said to Sam after listening to her conversation on the phone.  
"You have to Jess."  
"I don't want to go back to her." Jess said. "I want my dad!"  
"I know you do!" Sam said. "But running off won't help. You will see your dad again."  
"No I won't!" Jess said. "Not when i'm stuck here with the cheating cow I call my 'mother'."  
"Stop it!" Sam said. "She made a mistake."  
"And my dad left. I might never see him again because of her!" Jess shouted and couldn't hide the tears anymore. "I love him. And my mum sent him away."  
"Don't you love your mum too?" Sam asked softly.  
"Yes!" Jess said. "Of course I do! But she caused this mess in the first place!"  
"I know she did. I don't like it either." Sam said. "But we have to let her get on with it!"  
"Why don't you like it?" Jess asked confused.  
"Because..." Sam showed Jess her wedding ring. "Guess who i'm married to?"  
"Dylan?" Jess gasped.  
"But we've been separated for years." Sam sighed.  
"So my mum is helping to split up two marriages." Jess shook her head. "Great."  
"No Jess, look." Sam said, and got Jess to look at her. "If your dad loves you as much as you love him, you will see him again. Trust me."  
"But then why did he leave?" Jess wiped her eyes.  
"He needs space." Sam said. "Get his head around things before he sorts things out."  
"But I don't want him to leave." Jess sobbed. "I want us to go back to how they were before."  
"I know Jess." Sam said, pulling her into a hug. "But some things happen for a reason."  
"Well whats the reason for this?" Jess asked.  
"Well, Zoe found love in another person." Sam said. "We can't change it now."  
"I just wanted us to be happy." She cried, and Sam held her tight, fearing she would fall apart if she didn't.  
"You still can be."  
"No I can't! Not when my parents won't ever be together." Jess said. "I won't ever be with them again both at the same time. It will never be the same!"  
"You will still see them both." Sam said. "They can't stop you."  
"It still won't be the same." Jess said, but Sam didn't know what to say anymore. She let go of her, and Jess looked at Sam.

"Just promise me something." Sam said.  
"What?"  
"Don't do what I did."  
"What did you do?" Jess asked.  
"Turn to drugs." Sam said. "Its one hell of a job to be clean again."  
"I, I won't." Jess said, and Sam didn't seem convinced.  
"Promise me Jess."  
"I promise." Jess said, wiping her eyes.  
"Okay." Sam said. "Im going out for a run, alright? Will you be alright here on your own?"  
"Yes." Jess said, looking around. There was a television, and that was all she needed.

Sam went for a run and came back to find Jess sleeping on the sofa. It was only six, and she hadn't had dinner.

It was obvious that Jess had been crying herself to sleep, and Sam would have to wake her soon. Sam ordered a pizza for them both to share, and the doorbell went and made Jess jump out of her slumber.  
"Relax." Sam said. "I ordered pizza." Jess sat up and wiped her eyes. She couldn't believe she had fallen asleep.

They ate the pizza and then sat around for the rest of the evening. Sam told Jess that she was sleeping on the sofa, and reassured her that it was comfortable. Jess got ready for bed, washed, dressed and then went and layed down.  
"If you need anything, a drink, food, whatever, then the kitchen is right there." Sam said. "Good night."  
"Night." Jess said. Sam was unaware that Jess had a plan.

Jess waited for a few hours before making any movement, so she wouldn't wake Sam. Jess gathered all of her belongings before slowly making her way to the front door. The chain had been pulled across the door, and when Jess tried to move it, it screeched as the metal rubbed together. She slowly got the chain off, opened the door as quietly as she could, and stepped out into the dark night.

She shut the door, hoping Sam would be alright as she couldn't lock it from the outside and she didn't have a key.

She then ran, ran as far as she could before she was out of breath. Then she slowed her pace to a walk, which she kept up for a few hours, before becoming tired. She looked in her purse. She had been saving up for a year or so now, for something she really wanted. But now, all that was on her mind was her father.

She booked a room at the premier in for one night, even though it was already two in the morning. She would have to leave by twelve otherwise she would have to pay for an extra night, so she requested for a wake up call at 10am.

She got her pyjama's out of her bag along with her toothbrush and went into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth again, and then got into bed and fell asleep, dreming about her life and how it used to be.

The next morning she woke up to the phone ringing, and she answered it. It was 10am, so she would have to get her stuff together and leave. She checked her mobile phone, and she wasn't surprised to see tens of missed calls from her mother and her father. She wasn't going to ring them back.

She got a letter out of her bag that her fathers family had sent them, and it had their address on. She knew where she was going, so she packed up her stuff, had a shower, and left the hotel, ready to go and find her dad.

xxxxx

"Zoe! I told you she was here at eleven, I went up to bed, came down the next morning and she was gone!" Sam said, getting annoyed that she was getting the blame for Jess's disappearance. Zoe paced in Sams house trying to think of something.  
"Well, she couldn't be far, she would have been tired." Zoe said, and Sam was looking at her with evils. "What?"  
"I can't believe you're blaming me for her disappearing." Sam shook her head.  
"Well, she was staying here, wasn't she?"  
"Yes." Sam said, and Zoe waved at her. "I didn't know she was going to make a run for it!"  
"Well she made a run from my house!"  
"No wonder!" Sam said.  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Zoe asked.  
"She spoke to me last night, hated that you cheated on Nick. She wanted the family to be happy." Zoe sighed and slumped onto the sofa.  
"What else did she say?" Zoe asked.  
"Well, she called you a cheating cow. I was going to leave that out, but since you asked..." Sam said.  
"No, about the family." Zoe said, eyes tearing up at what Sam had said.  
"She didn't want Nick to leave and she wanted to be happy. That was all." Sam said. "And she called you a cheating cow."  
"I heard you the first time!" Zoe said. "Do you have any idea where she could have gone?"  
"Oh I don't know." Sam said sarcastically. "Maybe to go and find her father!?"  
"Well done." Zoe said sarcastically. "I mean where? A specific location!"  
"Well I don't know do I?" Sam asked. "You knew him best, you should know."

Zoe sighed and knew Sam and Jess was right. She was a cheating cow, and look at all the mess she had made.


	5. Chapter 5

Zoe tried to ring Nick again, but again it went to answerphone and she left yetanother message. Why wouldn't he answer? He should have listened to the messages and answered if he cared about Jess as much as she did him.

She rang Jess again and again and it just rang and rang until Jess had obviously turned off her phone. Zoe sighed with frustration.  
"Maybe you should call the police." Sam suggested.  
"I don't want to." Zoe said. "She will hate me even more."  
"But something could have happened to her." Sam said, worrying about Jess.  
"She's a smart girl." Zoe said.  
"But something BAD could have happened to her Zoe!" Sam was getting annoyed. "As in, fatal, traumatic..."  
"Like what?"  
"I don't know, raped, kidnapped, killed!?" Sam wished Zoe would think more of her daughters well being than her feelings. She could be dead for all they know.  
"Don't say that." Zoe shook her head in a whisper. "Don't."  
"Zoe..." Sam said.  
"No!" Zoe said.  
"Fine, then I will." Sam said, picking up her phone.  
"Don't you dare." Zoe said.  
"Why?" Sam said. "At least I care about her."  
"I care!"  
"Then why don't you want to find her!?" Sam shouted.  
"Because I know what she is doing! She's going to find her dad."  
"That doesn't stop her from getting into any trouble!" Sam said as Zoe glared at her with tears in her eyes. "Fine." Sam said. "But if you don't find her soon, i'm calling them!"  
"Fine!" Zoe said, and walked out.  
"Where are you going now?"  
"Home. See if she came back." Zoe said and got into her car.  
"Wouldn't count on it." Sam muttered unter her breath.

Meanwhile, Jess had managed to buy a train ticket that would get her to cardiff. It would be a long train ride, so she turned her phone back on to find many many missed calls from her mother. She deleted them from her call log, and plugged in her headphones. She listened to music and got out a book whilst sat on the train for hours.

Two an a half hours later, she arrived in Cardiff, and got the letter out of her bag to show the address. She went up to the information desk in the train station and asked how to get there. The woman at the desk said a taxi could get her there in half an hour, and Jess agreed. The woman called her a taxi which arrived a few minutes later, and Jess gave the address to the driver and they set off.

Back at Zoe's, she walked in the door to find the house almost spotless. Zoe gasped, hoping Jess would have come home, but it wasn't her. She found Dylan tidying up. She sighed.  
"Sorry I did it again didn't I?" He said.  
"Did what?"  
"Made you think I was Jess." Dylan said. "Sorry."  
"Don't worry about it." Zoe said and hugged him. Dylan held her tightly.  
"Do you have any idea where she could have gone?"  
"To see her father." Zoe said. "Problem is I don't know where he is."  
"What about the family in Wales?" Dylan asked.  
"They won't answer." Zoe said. "I rang them."  
"And Nick?"  
"He won't talk to me." Zoe said, eyes full of tears all of a sudden. "I just hope Jess is okay."  
"Im sure she will be." Dylan hugged her.  
"But you can't know." Zoe sobbed.  
"Did you call the police?" Dylan asked.  
"No." Zoe shook her head. "She won't ever forgive me if I did."  
"I think you need to." Dylan said.  
"No." Zoe said. "I will tonight if she hasn't contacted me."  
"I really think you should call them." Dylan said.  
"I don't need to." Zoe said. "Jess knows how to look after herself. She is smart. Id know if something happened."  
"How?"  
"Motherly instinct." Zoe said. "And my instinct is tell me that Jess is perfectly fine."  
"How on earth?"  
"You're not a woman." She laughed and wiped her eyes. "You wouldn't understand."  
"No I guess not." Dylan said, and hugged her again.

Jess pulled up in the taxi outside of the address. She recognised the place so it muct be the right house.

She handed the taxi driver money and told him to keep the change, before walking up to the front door and knocking on it. No one answered the door for a while, and when someone did, her father stood in the doorway and gasped.  
"Jess!?" He said. "What are you doing here?!" He said.  
"I wanted to see you." Jess started to cry and Nick hugged her.  
"Where's your mother?" He asked as he held her tightly.  
"She doesn't know i'm here." Jess said. "I came on the train."  
"What?" He asked, shocked. "No wonder she's been ringing me..."  
"Please don't send me home." She said. "Please."  
"I'm going to have to tell her..." Nick said.  
"But I want to stay here with you!" Jess cried. "I miss you."  
"I've only been gone a few days." He said softly and letting her inside.  
"I thought i'd never see you again!" Jess cried and hugged him, as if he would walk away and never come back.  
"Of course you were going to see me!" Nick said, nearly crying.  
"But I didn't know." She sobbed. "I thought that you left, and you weren't coming back."  
"I just need some time to figure things out." Nick said.  
"But I want you at home!" Jess said.  
"I know, but I have to get some space." Nick said.  
"From me?" Jess said.  
"No no, not you." Nick said. "From your mother."  
"The cheating cow." Jess muttered.  
"Jess." Nick said, not happy with her choice of words.  
"Its true! She split up the family." Jess wiped her eyes.  
"Come on, lets sit down and we can talk this over a bit more." Nick said, sitting her down in the living room.


	6. Chapter 6

"So what happened after I left?" Nick asked, after getting Jess a drink. He couldn't believe she had gotten all this way on her own.  
"I got up for school early-"  
"You? Up early?" Nick asked.  
"Yes. Me up early." Jess laughed. "Well, mum wasn't up yet, and I got ready for school. I had breakfast really quick and I heard mum moving about upstairs."  
"Where is this story going?" Nick asked, confused.  
"Well I didn't want to see her." Jess said, so when I heard her walking to the top of the stairs, I picked up my bag and slammed the door."  
"And..."  
"I went to school and had an idea at lunch." She said. "So I ditched, went home as I knew mum wasn't going to be there, and got all of my money, a lot of clothes, what I wanted... And I left the house."  
"Where did you plan on going?"  
"To Sam's house." Jess said. "Tell her about mum and Dylan." Nick noticed how her eyes narrowed mentioning Dylans name.  
"So you went to Sams..."  
"She spoke to me about her parents and what happened to them... she told me not to do what she did."  
"What did she do?"  
"She used to use drugs but she assured me she was clean now." Jess said.  
"Oh, right." Nick said.  
"Well, I fell asleep on the sofa while she went for a run, and she woke me up when she got back as she ordered pizza..."  
"Did she tell your mum you were safe."  
"Yes." Jess answered. "But I told her I didn't want to go home. So she spoke to mum on the phone and I was supposed to stay at hers for the night but I had other ideas!"  
"Then what?" Nick asked.  
"I left at like two in the morning. I wasn't tired as I fell asleep before, and so I snuck out the door and walked for a few hours to get to a hotel." Jess shrugged.  
"You stayed at a hotel?" Nick asked.  
"Yeah, I slept until ten, had a shower and got ready before I found a train station." Jess explained. "Mum kept ringing me but I wouldn't answer it."  
"She's probably so worried Jess! You should have at least told her you were okay!"  
"I didn't want to even speak to that cheating cow." Jess said spitefully.  
"Stop calling her that." Nick said.  
"What?!" Jess said. "Its true!"  
"Even if it is, its not nice to call people names." Nick sighed, thinking of Zoe and how she must be feeling.

He picked up the phone and rang Zoe.

Zoe picked up her phone as soon as she saw it was Nick.  
"Hello?!" She cried into te phone. "Nick! Its Jess! She ran off!"  
"Zoe, Zoe calm down I know." Nick said.  
"What, you know?" Zoe said. "But you didn't answer..." She trailed off as she had realised. "She's with you isn't she."  
"Yes." Nick said.  
"When did she get there? How?" Zoe asked, bewildered.  
"She got here maybe ten minutes ago and she said she went by train." Nick said.  
"Do you want me to come and get her?" Zoe asked, sighing.  
"Hmmm, do I want you to pick her up..." He repeated so Jess could here.

"NO!" Jess shouted, and Zoe felt horrible when she heard it. She sighed into the phone.  
"I guess theres my answer." Zoe sighed.  
"Hmm." Nick said back.  
"Why don't you just keep her there for a few days?" Zoe sighed.

"What is she saying, what is she saying!" Jess shouted at Nick and Zoe heard.  
"Well, I can if you want me too." Nick said.  
"Its not much use me coming to get her now." Zoe said. "She will kill me and it will take a long time."  
"Okay." Nick said. "We can sort something out tomorrow."  
"Okay." Zoe said.  
"Bye.  
"Wait.  
"What?" Nick sighed.  
"Im sorry." Zoe whispered, but tears sprang to her eyes as he hung up the phone with no reply.

"Yes!" Jess said, fist punching the air.  
"She sounded worried Jess." Nick said.  
"So she should." Jess said.  
"Don't be like that. She loves you!" Nick said.  
"She might well do!" Jess said. "But she made you leave. She was stupid." Nick sighed. Obviously he couldn't disagree. He loved Zoe, but she hurt him. She really did.  
"I can't disagree." Nick admitted. "But she didn't do anything to you."  
"She made you leave. That did something to me." Jess said.  
"Maybe." Nick said. "But she is obviously happier with Dylan. He can give her something I can't."  
"As if!" Jess said. "Dylans a creep."  
"Hey thats not nice!"  
"But its true!" Jess said. "He is mean to everyone I see."  
"Everyone but your mother. He treats her right." Nick sighed and Jess shook her head.  
"Didn't she save your life before!?" Jess said. "Doesn't that mean anything?"  
"Of course it does!" Nick said. "Im very gratefull. But she is happier with Zoe and i'm not going to change that."  
"But what will you do Dad?" Jess asked. "You can't stay here."  
"No I won't stay here." Nick said. "This is just a place to get my head sorted. Im going to come back. I can't leave holby. Its my ED."  
"But you will have to see mum and Dylan everyday!" Jess said.  
"Im clinical lead." Nick laughed. "See anything and I can tell them off and they can't complain."

The front door opened at Nicks family were back. Jess sat nervously on the sofa with her father while they got sorted. They were in for a surprise.


	7. Chapter 7

**(Sorry for lack of updates over the past few days! I haven't been very well so looking at a computer screen was out of the question... I'll try and make up for it!)**

"Um, mum?" Nick said, as he peered around the corner. "Is it okay if someone stays the night?"  
"Depends who." Jess heard her grandmothers voice and then saw her head appear around the door. "Jess!" She ran up and hugged her.  
"Hey Grandma." Jess said.  
"What brings you here?" Her grandmother asked pulling out of the hug.  
"She ran off." Nick said. "Came here alone by train."  
"You did?" Jess's grandmother asked, shocked. "Does Zoe know?"  
"Yes, Jess is staying the night, if you don't mind." Nick ran his hand through her hair.  
"Thats fine!" She replied.  
"Granny Jordan?" Jess asked.  
"Yes love?"  
"Do you have any biscuits?" Jess asked, and Mrs Jordan laughed.  
"Yes of course I do." She said. "Would you like some?"  
"Yes please." Jess smiled politely.

"Jess, how much did you spend to get here?" Nick asked, taking out his wallet.  
"Maybe seventy quid?" Jess said as Mrs Jordan came in with the tea and biscuits. "Thank you."  
"Your welcome Darling." She said and went into the kitchen.  
"Here." Nick said, handing over £80.  
"What? No." Jess said.  
"You were saving up Jess." Nick said. "Take it."  
"This was what I wanted more than what I was saving up for." Jess said. "I don't need your money."  
"Take it please." Nick said. "I won't rest until you take it."  
"Why?"  
"I made you come here." Nick said. "Please Jess." He put the money on her lap.  
"You really want me to have it?"  
"Yes." Nick said, looking at her, and she shrugged. She put the money in her purse and helped herself to tea and biscuits.

The next morning, Jess got up after having a good night sleep, knowing her dad was only meters away. She didn't know what was going to happen. Where was Jess going to stay? How close to home would Nick be from now on? He wasn't to give his job away at Holby so that was a good sign.

She walked downstairs to find her dad and her grandma at the table.  
"Morning." Her grandmother said.  
"Did you sleep well?" Nick asked.  
"Yeah I did." She yawned and sat next to her dad. He put his arm around her as her grandma bought her a cooked breakfast. "Thank you."  
"No problem hun." She smiled and walked off to the kitchen, and Jess got eating.

That afternoon, the doorbell went and Jess sighed. She knew it would be her mother. She would have travelled by train.  
"Zoe." Nick answered the door and let her in.  
"Nick." Zoe said, not bringing herself to look into his eyes. She walked into the living room and Jess was there. "Oh Jess." She said, walking up to give her a hug. "You made me to worried and-"  
"Get off me." Jess said, pushing her off.  
"Jess." Nick said as Zoe sat next to her instead.  
"What?" Jess replied, and Nick looked towards Zoe. Jess sighed. "Im sorry for running off."  
"Why did you?" Zoe asked.  
"I thought Dad was going and I thought I'd never see him." Jess said.  
"I told her thats not true. She will see me." Nick told Zoe. "And often."  
"I agree." Zoe nodded still not bringing herself to look at him.  
"Im finding a place near Holby." Nick said. "I'll be staying there."  
"Okay." Zoe said. "How often do you want her?"  
"I was thinking we swap over each week." Nick suggested. "Then there isn't so much moving around." He ignored Jess's gasp of protest.  
"Yeah that sounds good." Zoe said, and looked at Jess.  
"No." Jess shook her head.  
"Jess-" Nick tried to begin.  
"No." Jess said again. "I want to stay with you."  
"I can't keep you all the time at mine." Nick shook his head.  
"Why not?"  
"There won't be anyone in the house." Nick said. "I work worse shifts."  
"It was fine before." Jess said.  
"Because your mother was there." Nick said.  
"It was fine before because you were both together!" Jess shouted.  
"Jess. This is how it is now." Nick said.  
"Well it could have been different." She said, eyes filling with tears. "It could have been better." Zoe looked down.  
"This is just how it is." Nick said. "I can't change it."

They sat in silence for a little while. Jess tried to hold it together, but then Zoe spoke.  
"We had better get going." She said and Jess ran up to her dad and hugged him.  
"I don't want to leave." She sobbed as Nick held her. He looked over Jess at Zoe who looked incredibly guilty.  
"I know you don't." Nick said. "But you have to. Ill come and visit you soon."  
"I don't want to go!" She said louder. "Please don't make me go."  
"You have school Jess."  
"Its the weekend." Jess said, seeing that now it was saturday.  
"It might well be the weekend but you live in Holby. Not Wales."  
"You do too!" Jess said. "Please."  
"You need to go with your mother." Nick said, looking at Zoe who had tearful eyes.  
"You need me to." Jess said. "But I don't want to."  
"Come on." Nick said, standing up. "You got everything?" Jess nodded.  
"Lets go Jess." Zoe said, putting her hand on her daughters shoulder. Jess shrugged it off.  
"Im going." She said, giving her dad a last hug. She let the tears fall this time.  
"Don't cry." Nick said. "Ill see you again soon."  
"Okay." Jess said. "When?"  
"Soon." Nick said, and Jess walked away. She walked with her mother until they were out of sight.


	8. Chapter 8

"Jess, why did you run?" Zoe asked while they were sat on the train home. She knew the answer, but she just wanted to get Jess talking. "Jess."  
"Hmm?" Jess said.  
"Why did you run?" Zoe pleaded for an answer, but recieving none. "You have to talk to me Jess."  
"No. I don't." Jess said and stared out of the window. She didn't want to talk to her mother at all.  
"You do." Zoe said, putting her hand on her shoulder, feeling her pull away.  
"Stop it." Jess said. "I don't want to talk to you."  
"Why not?" Zoe asked, feeling that she was making progress, but then recieved no reply. "Jess!"  
"You want to know why I ran so badly?!" Jess asked and raised her voice making other people stare.  
"Yes, but quietly... people are looking." Zoe said.  
"And?!" Jess said, keeping her voice loud. "You should know, cheating on dad like that! I loved him! Unlike you. You just went running to grumpy old Dylan."  
"Dylans not grumpy." Zoe said.  
"Well, he certainly seems to be when he talks to me at the ED. He's not friendly, he's boring! Dad, is funny, awesome, and great, and you took him away from me."  
"I couldn't help it." Zoe shook her head.  
"Sure you could!" Jess laughed. "Ignore Dylan, love dad like you did."  
"My feeling towards your dad had changed." Zoe said. "I couldn't help that."  
"But who would leave the famous Mr Jordan for grumply old Dr Keogh? Nobody."  
"I did."  
"Yeah, you did." Jess said. "You tore our family apart."  
"Jess, Dylans not all that bad."  
"He might not be!" Jess said. "But to me, he will always be the guy who split up me and my dad." Jess felt satisfied when Zoe sighed.  
"I know youdon't like him, but your going to have to try." Zoe said. "He wants to get to know you."  
"Does he now." Jess said. "We'll see."  
"Jess please." Zoe said. "Just give it a try."  
"Fine." Jess said. "But he will never replace dad. Never."  
"Im not asking him to do that." Zoe said. "But I just want you two to get along."  
"If he tries, I will." Jess said. "He hasn't really tried to talk to me yet at all."  
"I'll talk to him." Zoe said.  
"Kay." Jess said, and looked out of the window again. Zoe felt a little bit happier now that Jess had spoken but it was obvious that it was going to take a while for her to trust her again.

They arrived back at home and Jess went straight upstairs. She noticed that a lot of Dylans stuff was here. So he had moved in already? Great. She thought.

Downstairs, Zoe was talking to Dylan.  
"How is she?" Dylan asked, taking Zoe into a hug.  
"Pissed off." Zoe sighed. "Can't blame her." She kissed him.  
"Oh right." Dylan said.  
"We were talking on the way back for a little while on the train." Zoe said.  
"What about?" He asked, kissing her cheek.  
"Why she ran." Zoe sighed. "She says you don't talk to her."  
"I talk to her." Dylan said, looking at Zoe.  
"I know, but she wants you to try and get on with her. Like a parent would."  
"Thats not really my...thing." Dylan said.  
"Yeah but if we get married one day, you will be her step father." Zoe said. "And I can't have anymore kids. You know that."  
"Yes I do, but im not the sensitive type."  
"You seem fine to me." Zoe said, kissing him.  
"But I know you better than her." Dylan sighed.  
"Well, get to know her then." Zoe told him. "She is nice."  
"I will do my best." Dylan said, and Zoe kissed him.  
"Good." She smiled. "I need a drink now." She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out two glasses and poured them each a glass of wine.  
"Thanks." Dylan said, accepting his.

They went into the living room and watched TV for a little while, while Jess was still upstairs.

She put everything back in her drawers and wardrobe and tidied up a little bit before putting her TV on. She didn't want to go downstairs and be forgiving. Not just yet anyway.

The next morning, Zoe had made her breakfast. As Jess walked down the stairs, Dylan was sat at the table where her dad used to sit. She sighed to herself before walking in and sitting down. Once she had sat there, her mother placed her breakfast on the table.  
"Morning." Jess looked up in surprise when it was Dylan who spoke to her.  
"Um, morning." She replied and took a bite of toast.  
"Sleep well?" She was a little confused. She looked at him and he looked nervous. She knew her mother had put him up to it.  
"Yeah, thanks." Jess said, and looked at her phone. She scrolled down her facebook while she ate.  
"Jess what have I told you about using your phone at the table?" Zoe said and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.  
"I don't see what harm its doing." Dylan said. Zoe looked shocked and Jess smirked.  
"No, I guess it isn't doing any harm." Zoe widened her eyes at him and he shrugged. Jess continued to look through her phone and looked up.

Maybe Dylan wasn't so bad after all...


	9. Chapter 9

"Dad!" Jess shouted as he walked up to the house a few weeks later. She threw her arms around him.  
"Hey." Nick said. "Ive missed you."  
"Ive missed you too." Jess said as Zoe stood and watched at the door. "So you found a house?"  
"Yeah, its near your school actually." Nick explained. "Ive come to show you."  
"Okay." Jess said and ran up to her mum. "Mum, can I go with dad and see his new house?"  
"Sure." Zoe said and Jess ran up to her dad.  
"Ill have her back in a few hours!" Nick shouted from his car, not looking at Zoe.  
"Okay." Zoe shouted but they had already began to drive off.

"Talking to your mother then?" Nick asked as they drove.  
"Sort of." Jess said. "Im not forgiving her though."  
"Why not?"  
"Because she made you leave." Jess said. "He won't replace you. I won't let him."  
"He's not a bad guy, Jess." Nick said.  
"I know, if anything he is better than mum." Jess said. "Let me use my phone at the table when mum wouldnt. Should have seen her face." She laughed, as did Nick.  
"Im sure it was very amusing." Nick said as they pulled up outside the house.  
"Wow." Jess said, looking at it. "Its quite big."  
"Yeah, three stories." Nick said and got out the car. Jess got out afterwards.  
"Cool." Jess said, and Nick unlocked the door for her. She walked in and it was all neat and tidy.  
"You have your own bedroom." Nick said, and Jess nodded.  
"Which one?"  
"First on the left." He replied and she went up the stairs looking for it. She saw it, and went in.

It was plain as it had to be decorated, but there was a bed and the furniture she needed. But it was roomy, as there was a lot of space. There was a huge mirror on the side of the wall, and she loved it already.  
"So you like it?" Nick said, standing behind her, making her jump.  
"Love it!" Jess said.  
"You can come over next weekend and we can decorate it." Nick said. "However you like."  
"Great." Jess grinned. "I already know what I want to do with it...

(So thats it! I know its a weird ending but thats all there is ;))


End file.
